Our Troops in Afghanistan Deserve Better

Our men and women in uniform are still paying the ultimate price in Afghanistan and Iraq because of the mistakes and incompetence of our leaders.

 

As reported by the Associated Press, the Pentagon just announced the tour of 2200 Marines in Afghanistan has been extended an additional 30 days after insisting for months the unit would come home on time.  The 24th MEU is involved in combat operations in the volatile south in Helmond Province. 

 

Defense Secretary Robert Gates had repeatedly said he did not intend to extend the Marines in Afghanistan.  In fact when he was asked about an extension in early May, Gates said he would "be loathe to do that."  The Pentagon Press Secretary said commanders on the ground asked for the extension.  Being extended in the time of war is nothing new to the troops.  It has happened in many of our past wars, but happened for different reasons.  The extensions of tours for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are a direct result of the incompetence of our Commander in Chief who committed our country to a war and occupation in Iraq over WMD that did not exist, an unnecessary war that depleted our ready troops and reserve levels and as a result short changed our troops in Afghanistan where the real war on terror is located.

 

Our men and women in uniform will continue to serve their country with the highest honor despite their hardships and this setback.  It is hard to comprehend how our leaders have learned nothing from their sacrifice.  After all, the war in Afghanistan has been going on for over six years.

The Bush Administration: A Legacy of Incompetance, Arrogance, & Hypocrisy

As of this month, the United States has been occupying Iraq 5 years after the invasion over WMD that did not exist.  And as of this date, neither Bush nor Defense Secretary Gates can tell the American people when or how this war and occupation will end nor has there ever been a timeline set for withdrawal.

 

Now, as reported by the New York Times, Gates has urged Turkey's military to abandon its invasion of Northern Iraq in those area's controlled by the PKK.  Gates is concerned the invasion by Turkey could widen into a broader and bloodier conflict.  (Does that sound familiar?)  He also said the Turks should make this operation as short as possible.  He added that "as short as possible" means in terms of a week or two and certainly not months.  He also demanded a strict timeline for the Turkish operation to end. 

 

Can this administration be any more arrogant or hypocritical?  Bush and Gates are looking to extend our involvement in Iraq beyond 5 years.  Let's not forget, our invasion and occupation has already caused a wider war and lured al Qaeda in to Iraq.  This administration preaches one thing and does something else.  Now it wants a Turkish timeline to withdraw, but no U.S. timeline; not even talk of a timeline.  It is now impossible for this administration to ever claim any competence at all.

 

In the meantime, Americans are still being killed and wounded in Iraq.  23 of our Troops died in December 2007 and 38 were killed in January 2008.  Sadly, the administration is still talking about how the death toll is dropping, but they don't mention the escalation in January.  Gates replaced Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense, but nothing has changed concerning Bush's incompetent war policy in Iraq.  And sadly, the front runner for the Republican nomination, John McCain would continue this failed and incompetent policy, possibly for another 100 years.  Our men and women in uniform deserve better. America deserves better.  Our people deserve better.

Afghanistan: Failing Because Of Iraq (Part 2)

Once again Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is telling the American people how we are failing in Afghanistan.  The Los Angeles Times reports that Gates said he believes NATO forces currently deployed in the southern part of that country do not know how to combat a guerrilla insurgency.

 

While at the same time, many NATO officials blame inadequate U.S. troop numbers earlier in the war in part for a Taliban resurgence.  Does that sound familiar and reminiscent of our track record in Iraq, where we used too little troops in a completely unnecessary invasion?  Afghanistan was where our enemies were.  We should have been fighting there instead of worrying bout Iraq. So now Gates decides to send an additional 3200 Marines to continue this 6 year old war. 

 

Gates went to Scotland last month and met with NATO leaders to try and convince them to send more NATO troops, but said no one at the table stood up and agreed.  The incompetence of this administration and Mr. Gates in trying to bully other nations is historic.  The U.S. under Mr. Bush has lost all creditability in fighting this war on terror.  Other nations hear that we call this the War on Terror, but they see that the U.S. practically abandoned Afghanistan, where bin-Laden and al-Qaeda were, and focused on Iraq, who was no threat to the U.S.   

 

Iraq seems to have been pushed to the back burner because of the Presidential primaries, that's the way the people in this administration would like it to be.  Get it out of the news.  I truly hope the American people never forget the tragic loss of life among our men and women in uniform because of the reckless behavior of Mr. Bush and his surrogates.  Never again should the people accept such incompetence and reckless behavior in our President.  Our troops and our country deserve better.

The Bush Legacy: Afghanistan And Iraq

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the U.S. will be sending 3200 additional Marines to fight the war in Afghanistan.  Mr. Bush and Mr. Gates, who recently visited with the leaders of NATO, have both been trying to get NATO to contribute more combat troops to that war with no success.

 

Our previous Presidents were able to offer leadership to NATO, but not Mr. Bush.  His reckless foreign policy has isolated the U.S. more than ever with our allies.  The war in Afghanistan passed the 6 year mark in 2007, which was the most deadly year for our troops and our own military leaders said that things are getting worse.  That is the exact language we heard during the Vietnam war---"things are getting worse so lets send in more U.S. troops". 

 

The American people should remember it was the Reagan-Bush administration who created the Taliban and armed them to fight the Soviet occupation and now they are fighting and killing Americans.  Our military technology is worthless if we have to occupy other countries to protect our national security.

 

And to top it off, Mr. Bush told reporters on his tour of the Middle East this past week that the U.S. could  be in Iraq for 10 years.  All of the reasons Bush gave for invading and occupying Iraq were lies and now we are being told it may be another Vietnam.  We already know the Republican candidates running for President would continue the Bush policies(with exception of Ron Paul), so the American people and our men and women in uniform have a major stake with their vote in November in electing a President who will truly keep our country and its people safe.  Bush failed to keep our country and people safe on 9-11 and almost 7 years later, there is no end in sight.

Diplomacy: Democrats Force Realty On Bush

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in a lecture at Kansas State University ,said that the U.S. must improve its diplomacy.  He is asking for an increase in not only his department's budget but also the State Department budget.  Gates said we must focus our energies beyond the guns and steel of the military and that there is a need for dramatic increases in spending on the civilian instruments of national security.  That is an astounding statement coming from someone in this administration.  (Diplomacy has always been a part of Democratic administrations concerning national security.)

 

Gates pronouncements is an admission of Mr. Bush's failed foreign policy that has been based on the U.S.'s military might which led to the war and occupation in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  The people realized long ago that diplomacy was abandoned by Mr. Bush.  Gates has followed the same path with the surge and continuation of the war in Iraq.  They are both trying now to salvage what is left of their reputations.  Gates wants more money for his department even as spending for his department is at record levels and that does not include the billions spent for the war.  That money could be better used for more important issues.  Diplomacy for one.

 

Mr. Gates supported the military option in Iraq over diplomacy.  We know from his and Bush's statements that they want a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq.  Will they define that as military diplomacy?  The civilian instruments of national security would be a better choice.  The Democratic position on diplomacy through many past presidents have served our nation well and kept our country safe.  They answered the military call when it was necessary to protect our national interest but never was in fear of using diplomacy.  They also kept our country free of such a massive foreign terror attack as occurred on 9-11.

 

Mr. Bush's arrogance, reckless behavior and lack of true diplomacy lost him the moral mantle of world leadership that America was known to possess.  Diplomacy could have saved the lives of thousands of Americans and Iraqis in the war in Iraq if Mr. Bush had used his responsibility as a leader with wisdom.  America's role in the world today has been tainted by the President's reckless behavior.  If he and Gates are ready to use diplomacy as an admission of their failure, let them start with Iraq and bring this war to an end with diplomacy.  It is not to late.